Noted for his intense flow and sharp wit, Francis has won acclaim both as a freestyle battler and as an unapologetic, intellectual lyricist. Francis uses a broad emotional palette to address a wide range of personal, cultural, and political issues. His unconventional style and persona have given him crossover appeal, but at the same time alienated some hip-hop listeners.
Prior to embarking on a full-time career as an MC, Francis displayed his skills in slam poetry. During the late 1990s, he recorded his first demo tape (1996), fronted the now defunct Providence hip-hop band Art Official Intelligence, and hosted a weekly slot on independent radio station WRIU (the "True School Session"). He also formed the Non-Prophets and released a 12” (Drop Bass/Bounce/I Keep Calling, Emerge Records, 1999), following up in 2003 with their first full-length offering, Hope. Francis is a contemporary of underground hip-hop artists such as Slug, Eyedea, Sole and the anticon. collective. He is also loosely affiliated with the vague underground hip-hop super-group The Orphanage.
As a solo performer, Francis won the MC battle at the 2000 Scribble Jam, and in 2001 he came close to repeating as champion (semi-finalist) while performing as his "metal" alter ego, "Xaul Zan". Francis released his first proper solo album, Personal Journals, on Anticon. in 2002. He toured with a live band on the Live Band Dead Poet Tour to support it. Francis subsequently became the first hip-hop artist to sign with Punk label Epitaph, agreeing to a three-album deal. His first album for Epitaph, A Healthy Distrust, was released in early 2005 and was followed up with Human the Death Dance in 2007.
One of Francis' best-known tracks is "Makeshift Patriot", a commentary on the American media recorded one month after the September 11, 2001 attacks which he released on the internet as an MP3 as well as a limited edition 7" single.
In February 2005 Sage dropped his second full length album on the originally punk label Epitaph, it was widely regarded as the best underground hip hop album of the year by critics and fans alike and featured heavily political tracks such as "The Buzz Kill" and "Slow Down Gandhi" and more personal material like that more similar to that of his debut 'Personal Journals' such as 'Bridle' and a few heavily satirical comments on the modern day rap and urban scene such as the satirical comment on youth gun culture 'Gunz Yo'.
Sage has helped to set up the Wiki KnowMore.org which is described as a 'way to keep tabs on the some of the biggest and most dangerous businesses in the world'. He is a vegetarian and also chooses to abstain from drugs and drinking, though doesn't label himself as "straight-edge" because he believes "you shouldn't define yourself by what you don't do."
Sage has set up his own label and signed some of who he claims to be his favorite artists of the moment such as Buck 65 and Proplyphic and Reanimator named Strange Famous (which shares his initials) with which he released his most recent work 'Human the Death Dance'
This album was released in May 2007 and takes a step away from the heavily political 'Healthy Distrust' and heads back to the more personal lyrics of 'Personal Journals' and comments on modern culture. The album features cameos from many Strange Famous artists such as Buddy Wakefield, Buck 65 and Reanimator.
In 2010 Sage released his fourth full length album Li(f)e (the title coming from the famous quote from 'The Cure' on the Non-Prophets album Hope "Life is just a lie with an f in it and death is definite"). The album was extremely well received and one particular single off of the album 'The Best Of Times' received extensive air play on the popular British radio station Radio 1. After Sages Li(f)e tour Sage has stated that he will no longer be doing tours but will still be releasing albums and other materials, instead he will be doing select gigs throughout each year.
On 3 June 2014, Sage released his fifth studio album 'Copper Gone'. It is the first official studio album after Sage Francis announced his hiatus, which lasted for four years.
Oliver Twisted
Sage Francis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is he here yet?
I feel sweat building on my upper back
Children are under attack
With every question mark
When testing starts
Hearts burn and stomachs knot
Inner organs begin to morph in
Asking for more things to digest for Oliver
But I love her
You do?
I guess
What part, all of her?
Yeah except when she tempts men
You know those uncontrollable feelings and thoughts except them
Now I accept when she tempts men to extend
Plutonic handshakes and I'm all hung up on sex again
And untrusting is she still talking to him?
I'm hung up I used to be off the hook
Picked up girls and read them motives like an awful book
Put them down
Fast but gently to maintain the grass entry level position
Last century I had several decisions
To make before the new millenium
To secure finances
As for dollars did I make a mill or any?
Check the public record freedom of information
Act One Scene Two Third page Fourth paragraph
Fifth center sixth word seventh letter G
Seems like I ain't make any
And I'm stuck clutching on to my very last penny
Loafer searching every crevice of the sofa
Warning you not to get any closer
I need some space to breathe
And he's making me
Shovel the snow cut the grass and rake the leaves
Take these responsibilities and shove 'em
These working boots weren't made for running
Your landscaping business
My hands are shaking hidden fists
Holding a dead fish
Breaking limp wrists
And listening for lisps
Smack speech impediments out your mouth piece
I'm all alone in the force to home
Killing myself with the house keys
The lyrics to Sage Francis's song Oliver Twisted depict a sense of fear and anxiety as the singer reminisces about a past filled with uncertainty. The line "Is he here yet?" suggests an impending threat, causing the singer to break out into sweat. The mention of children under attack and testing only adds to the anxiety and fear. However, amidst all this fear, the singer also speaks of love, and specifically, the temptation of their love interest. While the singer used to be off the hook, he now finds himself "hung up" and untrusting of his love interest's actions.
The latter half of the song transitions to a more personal reflection on the singer's financial situation. He speaks of the decisions he had to make before the new millennium to secure finances, only to find that he has not made much progress. In fact, he is so desperate for money that he searches the crevices of his sofa for pennies. The lyrics also touch on the singer's feelings of being stuck and suffocated by responsibilities, represented metaphorically by the need to shovel snow, cut grass, and rake leaves. The closing lines of the song depict a sense of hopelessness and isolation, as the singer feels alone in his own home, killing himself with his house keys.
Line by Line Meaning
Reminiscing of when I was living in fear
I am thinking about a time in the past when I was afraid
Is he here yet?
I am wondering if someone has arrived
I feel sweat building on my upper back
I am getting nervous and starting to sweat
Children are under attack
Kids are in danger or being harmed in some way
With every question mark
I become more uncertain and worried
When testing starts
When examinations or trials begin
Hearts burn and stomachs knot
People feel intense emotional and physical discomfort
Inner organs begin to morph in
Our internal body parts start to change and react to the stress
To dinnerless orphans
To children who don't have enough food to eat
Asking for more things to digest for Oliver
Begging for additional food to feed a particular person, specifically Oliver
But I love her
I have strong feelings of affection for someone
You do?
Someone is questioning my love for the person I just mentioned
I guess
I am uncertain or hesitant about my feelings
What part, all of her?
Asking which aspects of the person I love
Yeah except when she tempts men
I still care for her, but I don't like it when she entices other men
You know those uncontrollable feelings and thoughts except them
Referring to the powerful emotions and desires that can't be controlled
Now I accept when she tempts men to extend
I have come to terms with her behavior and am okay with her flirting with other men
Plutonic handshakes and I'm all hung up on sex again
Even though we only shake hands, I am still thinking about having sex with her
And untrusting is she still talking to him?
I am suspicious and untrusting of her and wondering if she's still communicating with another man
I'm hung up I used to be off the hook
I am consumed by my feelings even though I used to be free from them
Picked up girls and read them motives like an awful book
I used to manipulate and use women for my own pleasure
Put them down
I rejected and abandoned women after using them
Fast but gently to maintain the grass entry level position
I moved on quickly from women, but I did it nicely to preserve my own reputation
Last century I had several decisions
Referring to the past, I faced multiple choices or options
To make before the new millenium
I had to make important decisions before the year 2000
To secure finances
I needed to make choices to ensure financial stability
As for dollars did I make a mill or any?
I am questioning whether I have earned a million dollars or not
Check the public record freedom of information
Go look up the publicly available information for verification
Act One Scene Two Third page Fourth paragraph
A specific location or passage in written work
Fifth center sixth word seventh letter G
Referencing a specific word or letter in a particular location
Seems like I ain't make any
It appears that I didn't earn any significant amount of money
And I'm stuck clutching on to my very last penny
I have no money left and am barely able to survive
Loafer searching every crevice of the sofa
Looking for any lost coins or money hidden in the furniture
Warning you not to get any closer
Telling someone to stay away or keep their distance
I need some space to breathe
I need some room and time to relax
And he's making me
Someone is forcing me or pressuring me to do something
Shovel the snow cut the grass and rake the leaves
I am being told to do various outdoor chores and tasks
Take these responsibilities and shove 'em
I am rejecting and refusing to do the tasks I was given
These working boots weren't made for running
I am not inclined to keep doing hard work like manual labor forever
Your landscaping business
Referring to a particular type of company or occupation
My hands are shaking hidden fists
I am clenching my fists tightly in anger and frustration
Holding a dead fish
Possibly referencing someone or something that has stopped being useful or alive
Breaking limp wrists
Attacking someone who is weak and vulnerable
And listening for lisps
Possibly mocking or making fun of someone's speech impediment
Smack speech impediments out your mouth piece
Physically assaulting someone with a speech impairment
I'm all alone in the force to home
I feel isolated and alone in my journey home
Killing myself with the house keys
Feeling trapped and overwhelmed by the responsibilities of being a homeowner
Contributed by Aria A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cheche Garcia
on Buckets Of Silence
I never held a funeral for that big part of me that died.
I need to put these thoughts to rest. i need to find a peace of mind.
I need to piece my mind, find a piece of mind to rest in.
need to find someone to confide in, and with the rest i need to start restin'.
needless to say, i couldn't hide.
fifteen grown men shouldn't cry.
Cheche Garcia
on Message Sent
I've got some letters inside of my drawer
that should have been stamped and delivered
One is addressed to my ex
it says I'm the type of kid who can't be lived with
One is addressed to my friends
it says I'm a mess so y'all can't visit
One is addressed to myself
but I don't know what personality or hand to give it